1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the area of IV pole assemblies and, more particularly, to a sliding IV pole assembly for use with a patient support in which the IV pole may be slidably transferred between two locations with respect the patient support and secured in a vertical position at each of the two locations.
2. Description of Related Art
Medical patients often require intravenous equipment which typically is supported by a vertical pole located in the proximity of the patient. If the patient is on a patient support such as a hospital bed, the vertical support pole for the intravenous equipment may be attached to the bed as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,673,771. Alternatively, the intervenous equipment may be free standing on a stationary but portable base or a wheeled base as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,944. When the intravenous equipment is supported by a free-standing base, an extra attendant is required to independently move the intravenous equipment when moving the bed and patient. There are constructions such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,418 that permit a bed mounted pole to be moved with the bed and stored in a horizontal position for transportation or storage. Intravenous equipment mounted on the bed itself is transportable with the bed; however, it is difficult and time consuming to detach the pole and associated intervenous equipment and reattach it at another location or position with respect to the bed.
The above designs have the disadvantages of either requiring extra manpower to independently look after the intravenous equipment during transportation or requiring extra time in moving the equipment from one location to another with respect to the patient in the bed.